College Life
by Aeris9919
Summary: Kai and Rei start a new chapter of their lives, though they had never intended to start it together. Rated for later chapters. Yaoi warning. ReixKai POSTPONED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE!
1. Orientation

Hi folks. This is my newest project, entitled 'College Life'. I'm not sure how long it's going to be at the current moment, but I do know that it will be longer than anything I've ever done. Each chapter will follow an important moment in a college student's life. Seeing as I'm still in high school, I'm not quite sure on all of these events. If any of you have any suggestions about what types of situations you'd like to see, please let me know. I'm always open to suggestions.

This story will center mainly around Kai and Rei. I might try to write a little of the others in, but only if I feel it necessary. And yes, this story will be yaoi. So, if that bothers you, just quit now while you're still ahead.

Disclaimer: I don't own beyblade. I wish I did... well maybe just Kai and Rei.

College Life

Chp. 1 Orientation

Freshman orientation is the most frustrating thing in the world. This is what Kai Hiwatari had decided as he watched some lame sophomore, who by now was considering himself king of the college, talk about all the "great opportunities" available. The 18 year-old fought to keep a snicker inside as he watched the poor dope fumble through a handful of index cards. The group continued on, heading in the direction of another building. Some of his group members had already begun to look back at the stoic boy and whisper. Kai just sighed, ignoring them like he did all the others. You'd think after 3 years off the beyblade circuit people would start to forget about him. But it seemed even in a tiny college in the middle of North Carolina, the former leader of the blade breakers was still recognizable. He hadn't really been planning to go to college. But unlike the others, Kai wasn't satisfied with teaching kids to beyblade, or organizing tournaments. He wanted a life without beyblading. A life without his past. So, he did some research, and came across a school in the southern U.S. It was private, and contained in a small community. The perfect place to start over... or so he thought. He ran a hand casually across his cheek, cursing the easily identifiable markings.

"What was I thinking?" He thought ruefully. "I should have known better than to think I could live a normal life."

Rei Kon listened intently to the recommendations from his tour guide. He probably looked like he was falling in love with the petite junior who, at the moment, was leading them through the library. He might as well have been; the small girl was showing him everything he had been so anxious to see. The neko-jin looked around the room, bouncing on the balls of his feet, eager to see more. Rei had made the decision to go to college about a year ago. While he loved teaching kids about beyblading, he wanted more. Of course, just getting to this point had been difficult for Rei. He had never really gotten a formal education in his village, it just wasn't how things were done. But after sending out what seemed like hundreds of applications, he found a college willing to accept AND give him a full scholarship. A ticket to freedom in Rei's eyes, and he thanked whatever forces above that helped him get this far.

"If there are no more questions, we can head back to registration." The girl broke him out of his thoughts.

With a smile the neko-jin followed, his braid bouncing off his shoulders. The tour guide led them back to the room where they had all started and pointed to a list of names.

"Be sure and check who you'll be rooming with. Enjoy your freshman year!"

"She was nice," Rei mused to himself as he stepped lightly over to the lists. Spotting his name, he traced his finger across the paper to read the name posted next to it. His finger stopped on the name, his jaw dropping to the floor. For once, he had no idea what to say.

"And if there are no more questions, this will conclude our tour of the college grounds. Be sure to check the room listings, and do your best to find your dorm mate. It helps to get acquainted early."

Kai rolled his eyes at the useless tour guide. The kid knew less about the campus then he did. Pathetic. He strode towards the back wall, which was currently plastered with student lists.

"Just my luck," he murmured to himself, as he glared at the back of whomever it was that was blocking his view of the list.

"Let's not take all day," he raised his voice so the offender could hear. His eyebrows knitted together as he noticed the person's shoulders tense suddenly. The person turned slowly, flashing him a toothy, but familiar grin.

"Hey, Kai. It looks like we're roommates!"

Kai just stood there, at a complete loss for words. After a few moments, he seemed to compose himself enough to ask,

"What are you doing here, Rei?"

"Checking the dorm list," the golden-eyed boy replied with a smirk. The phoenix merely rolled his eyes. He pushed past Rei, checking the list for himself.

"Dammit," he cursed under his breath.

"Try not to be too excited," the neko-jin remarked coldly. Kai ignored the comment, pushing past his former teammate and the swirling crowd of rising college students. Rei blinked. "Hey! Wait up!" He called before following the slate-haired youth into the crowd.

Rei followed his former captain out of the building, out into the open courtyard. Kai continued to walk, quite aware of the golden eyes on his backside. He did his best to ignore them for the time being. Why was Rei here? Why? How was he supposed to start a new life with his former teammate with him for every step? Letting out a sigh, Kai admonished himself. It was selfish of him to think that way. The neko-jin had just as much right to an education as he did. But how did they end up at the SAME school? It was some really stupid twist of fate, and he didn't like it one bit. Stopping at bench, the former blader took a seat, the tiger sitting beside him.

"Kai," the soft voice ventured, "does it really bother you that I'm here?" The phoenix mentally cringed at the look of guilt on Rei's face.

"No," he reassured the neko-jin. "I was just surprised to see you."

"So. . . It doesn't bother you that we're going to be roommates?" Rei was very aware of how private his former captain was. And despite the fact that he had been the one to share hotel rooms with him while traveling, the neko-jin still felt like he was intruding on the stoic blader. For a long while, Kai didn't answer him. Inwardly, Rei began to panic.

"I was afraid I was going to be rooming with someone like Takao, but this... this is familiar." Rei returned the uncharacteristic smile that was grazing the phoenix's face.

"Does that mean you're ready to go back in?" Rei bounced off the seat, his golden eyes meeting crimson red.

"For what?"

"We still need to get our schedules, and our book lists. Not to mention checking out the club tables." Rei rattled on excitedly. Kai raised an eyebrow at the over-exuberant tiger.

"You're really into this, aren't you?" He asked, standing. The pair began to walk back towards the building. The neko-jin nodded.

"I've never really gone to school before," he commented, his hands pulling at the end of his t-shirt, a faint blush coloring his tanned cheeks. "So, this is all new to me." Kai nodded. He could understand that.

"What made you decide to come here? You could have gone anywhere." The blush had left Rei's face, his eyes now watching the slate-haired boy with interest. The phoenix shrugged, choosing not to answer out loud.

"Typical Kai answer," Rei thought with grin.

They returned to the main building, which by now was almost deserted, save a few stragglers. Everyone had more than likely gone off to bond with their dorm mates. Kai was actually thankful that he was saved such a meaningless task. The former teammates retrieved their schedules and book lists in silence. Rei didn't even bother to ask his companion what classes he was taking.

"I'll just take a peek at his books when he's asleep," the neko-jin thought with a smirk.

"Do you want to go look at the different clubs?" He asked the phoenix. Another shrug was his answer.

"You're impossible!" Rei grabbed the quiet youth's hand, dragging him towards a long line of tables.

Kai watched with mild amusement the enjoyment that passed through the neko-jin with each new table. It was almost cute.

"Wait...cute? Where did that come from?" Kai thought, ignoring the sinking feeling at the pit of his stomach.

"Hey, Kai, look! A martial arts team!" The neko-jin didn't waste time in signing his name on the list. "Are you going to join a club?"

"No," came the clipped answer. Rei pouted.

"What are you going to do in your spare time?"

"Study," was Kai's answer.

"You're no fun," Rei retorted, heading towards the exit.

"As you've told me countless times in the past," he threw back, following the neko-jin back into the courtyard. The sun hung low in the sky, signaling the end of the day was drawing near. Rei turned to the other boy, trying to hide his look of regret. It had been nice to see Kai, to see a familiar face.

"So... are you heading back to China until school starts next month?" The neko-jin turned to face his the taller boy. What was that hitch in his voice? Could he possibly be feeling the same thing as him?

"Y-yeah. What about you? Are you going back to Russia?" Kai turned away at the question, not quite sure how to answer.

"Yeah," he finally pushed out through gritted teeth, "Russia. . ."

"Then...I guess I'll see you in a month, eh?" A single fang bit down on his bottom lip.

"Yeah. I'll see you then." Kai began to walk down the path, when the sound of Rei's voice stopped him.

"It was good to see you again." The slate-haired youth couldn't fight the grin that stretched across his face.

"It was good to see you too, Rei. See ya in a month."

TBC

So what do you think? Is it worth it to continue? Let me know through some sweet sweet reviews!

And special thanks to my friend Rizu for betaing. Where would my grammar be without her? XD


	2. Moving In

Installment 2 of 'College Life' has arrived. I was a little disappointed with the lack of feedback from the first chapter, but I can be patient. Anyway, I'm still hoping to get some suggestions on what you readers would like to see in upcoming chapters. Right now I have 22 chapters planned, but that could change once I get some feedback. And now on with the chapter.

Same standards apply, this is yaoi. If you don't like it, just click the little back button.

Disclaimer: I don't own beyblade. Little tops that have animals come out of the, yeah, I'm not that creative.

"It was good to see you again." The slate-haired youth couldn't fight the grin that stretched across his face.

"It was good to see you too, Rei. See ya in a month."

College Life

Chp. 2 Moving In

Clunk! Clunk! Clunk!

"Damn suitcase!" Rei spat out venomously, looking back at the cursed black appendage. The stupid thing probably weighed twice as much as he did, and then there were the three boxes still waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs. Why didn't this place have elevators again?! Of course there was really no point in complaining about it. He would have to live with it for the next four years, and the neko-jin wasn't going to go home because of a tiny inconvenience. The suitcase 'clunked' with each step, the sound echoing through the empty stairwell. The solitude reminded Rei how much time he would be spending alone. True, he would have Kai. But the stoic captain had never been much of a conservationist in the past, and he doubted that had changed much. A sick sensation took hold of his stomach, and he did his best to ignore it.

"I can't be getting homesick already. . ." the tiger chided himself softly, stopping to look out a window that framed the stairwell. North Carolina's landscape was beautiful, trees for miles...but it was nothing compared to home. Closing his eyes, Rei pictured the sloping hills of his village, the river where he and Mao would get water for dinner, the rocks where he and Lee would have sparring matches. The neko-jin shook his head lightly, and continued up the steps.

The goodbye had been difficult for everyone. After leaving the village to improve his beyblading skills, no one had expected Rei to take leave again. Especially so soon after he had gotten home. Truthfully, the tiger had been having second thoughts about going to college as soon as he got acceptance letter in the mail. A part of him just wasn't ready to leave the comfort zone he had built. But of course, when it came time to make a decision, Rei knew what he had to do. Mao had been the first to object, and the whole village knew why. She was in love with the him; she had always been.

"You can't leave again!" She had pleaded the moment she caught Rei alone.

"Yes, I can," he had stated simply before walking away. What else could he stay. Yes, Mao was in love with him, but he didn't love her back.

"Of course I can't tell her why," Rei mused to himself with a smile and a blush. If anyone from the village found out that he was, well, controversial...a shudder passed through the neko-jin. Let's just say to be gay and a member of his clan was not the safest of combinations. As it were, the goodbyes had to be made BEFORE he left for the airport. Secretly, it had been more for himself than anyone else, but he let them think otherwise. Rei was terrible with goodbyes.

"Finally!" The tiger nearly collapsed in tears when he saw the large number 8 posted on the side of the wall. He had reached his floor. From there, it was the quick process of locating his dorm number, and unlocking his way into independence.

74 degrees was heaven. Not too hot, not too cold. Perfect. North Carolina, Kai decided, was a great improvement over Russia. He hated to be cold. There were a lot of things in the world that he disliked: Takao, Max, losing. But he HATED to be cold. Yes, 74 degrees was just right.

You'd assume that the one-time leader of the blade breakers had something more relevant to think about. But then again, assuming can get you into a lot of trouble. Kai stood from the bench he had been sitting on, silently contemplating his new surroundings, and picked up the large duffle bag and worn guitar case that had been sitting at his feet. After getting off the plane, he grabbed a taxi, and after dealing with the malodorous stench for about 40 minutes he asked for the driver to pull over. From there it was just a 5 minute, stench-free walk to the college.

The duffle bag contained all of his possessions, or at least the ones he cared about. And the guitar case actually had a guitar in it. (Does that surprise any of you?) Despite what people say, Kai was good at a lot of things that weren't beyblading. He prided himself on that fact.

Spotting the college in the distance, Kai stopped one last time to look at his new home. The towering buildings were a semblance of the abbey. A momentary shudder passed through his mind, but he quelled it instantly. This place was completely different. That was obvious to even the dimmest of people. But Kai had a hard time trusting anyone, even a well established college. Letting a sigh escape his lips, he continued on his path, fishing in his pocket for a slip of paper. It had his building number on it: Crescent Dorms, floor 8, room 7B.

"Nothing's ever simple," he muttered bitterly, glaring at the stairs lying before him. Taking one step at a time, trying to ignore the echo of his boots. The silence was growing irksome. Casting a glance over his shoulder to confirm his solitude, the phoenix began to hum softly to himself. Nothing in particular. Just a song he had caught on the radio the day he had left Russia. It was only natural that the humming led to singing, and Kai found the foreign words strangely comforting. Perhaps it was something he had taken for granted while living the frozen country, or perhaps he was growing just the wee bit home sick?

"That couldn't be it," Kai thought ruefully to himself, the words still flowing with ease. So wrapped up in the song, he almost passed right by his floor. With a sheepish shrug he quickly found his room, and pushed into his new home.

Rei looked up from his position on the floor as the door swung open. For a moment, he and Kai merely looked at one another, crimson matching gold.

"Hey," the neko-jin finally spoke, standing to greet his old friend and new roommate.

"Hey," Kai returned somewhat awkwardly, tossing his duffel bag onto the nearest bed. Rei's bed, which was pushed up against the far wall, was currently covered with an array of items.

"Just like old times," the former captain commented eyeing Rei's bed, before unzipping his bag. A blush crossed the tiger's features.

"I never was one to pack light." Out of the corner of his eye, Rei caught sight of the guitar case.

"Speaking of packing, you've never needed more than that one bag. What's in the case? A guitar?" The neko-jin had skipped over to the taller boy, a curious gleam in his eyes.

"Just some useless junk," the phoenix spoke indignantly, his eyes focused on unpacking his clothes. Rei knew very well that Kai NEVER packed useless junk, but he wasn't going to argue for an answer he was never going to get. Not when he needed the energy to lug 3 more boxes up the stairs. He let out a sigh, eyeing the door wearily.

"Do you want some help?" Rei turned to look at his friend, head tilted slightly. "Those were your boxes outside the door, right? You'll need help to get them up here." Not waiting for an answer, Kai left the room and headed down the stairs.

"Hey, wait up!"

"What do you have in here? Bricks?!" Kai staggered under the weight of the larger box. Rei, carrying two slightly smaller boxes, one stacked on top of the other, ducked his head.

"Just a few things to remind me of home," was the embarrassed reply. The phoenix nodded in understanding.

"Do you miss it? Your home, I mean," the neko-jin asked, glancing over the side of his boxes.

"I don't have anything to miss," he thought to himself mournfully. But his real answer was a standard shrug.

"I don't want to miss it," Rei confessed, golden eyes slipping closed. For a moment, they continued up the steps: Kai with his eyes forward, jaw set, and Rei with his eyes closed, a content grin creasing his face. And then suddenly, he felt his former captain stop. Opening his eyes, he turned to face him.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"What?" The neko-jin asked innocently.

"You're going up the stairs. . .with your eyes closed...that's not safe." The tiger had to hold back a snicker.

"That's why you stopped? You worry too much." Kai sneered at his former teammate.

"Don't be such a smart ass."

"Hit me."

"What?!" Kai had almost dropped the box he had been holding. "I'm not going to hit you, Rei."

"Fine. Don't." The neko-jin turned and continued up the steps, his braid bouncing with each step. Kai scowled at the retreating back, before following. It was going to be a long year.

Tbc

Well, that's it until next time. Please go review. I could really use the encouragement. ''' Ja!

Thanks yet again to Rizu for previewing this chapter. W00t! XD


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